NPS in Hospitality: What's a Good Score?
What NPS means for hotels and restaurants, what counts as a good score, how to calculate it, and how to move it - with a free calculator.
By Sentoma · Last updated 22 July 2026
NPS (Net Promoter Score) measures guest loyalty with one question: "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend?" on a 0-10 scale. Your score is the percentage of promoters (9-10) minus the percentage of detractors (0-6), giving a number from -100 to +100. In hospitality, anything above +50 is strong.
This guide covers what the score means for hotels and restaurants, what to aim for, and how to actually move it.
Key takeaways
- NPS = % promoters (9-10) minus % detractors (0-6). Passives (7-8) dilute but don't count either way.
- Above 0 is a baseline, +30 is good, +50 is strong for hospitality, +70 is exceptional.
- Your own trend month on month beats any industry benchmark.
- Ask NPS as an optional final question after a star rating, at the point of experience.
- You move NPS by recovering detractors fast, not by chasing promoters.
What is NPS?
Definition: Net Promoter Score is a loyalty metric based on one question - "How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?" - answered 0-10. It sorts guests into promoters (9-10), passives (7-8) and detractors (0-6).
The theory: recommendation intent is the single answer that best predicts repeat visits and word of mouth. A guest who scores you 9 brings friends; a guest who scores you 4 tells friends to avoid you.
How to calculate NPS
- Count promoters (9-10), passives (7-8) and detractors (0-6).
- NPS = (promoters ÷ total responses) - (detractors ÷ total responses), as percentages.
Example: 120 responses - 60 promoters, 40 passives, 20 detractors. That is 50% - 17% = NPS +33.
Skip the arithmetic with our free NPS calculator - enter three numbers, get your score with benchmarks.
What is a good NPS score for hotels and restaurants?
| Score | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Below 0 | More detractors than promoters - a recurring problem needs finding |
| 0 to +30 | Working baseline; guests are satisfied but not advocating |
| +30 to +50 | Good - recommendation is happening |
| +50 to +70 | Strong for hospitality |
| +70 and above | Exceptional, world-class loyalty |
Two honesty notes on benchmarks:
- Published industry averages vary wildly by country, segment and survey method. Comparing your five-star resort to a pub chain's number tells you nothing.
- The comparison that matters is you, last month. A venue moving from +20 to +35 over a quarter is winning regardless of any table.
NPS or star ratings: which should you use?
Both, doing different jobs:
- CSAT (the star rating) measures this visit - it catches operational problems day to day. Make it your required question.
- NPS measures the relationship - it trends loyalty across months. Make it an optional final question.
A five-question survey with a required star rating and an optional NPS gives you both signals from one form - see the guest satisfaction survey guide for the full setup.
How to collect NPS in a venue
- At the point of experience. A QR code at the table or in the room catches the answer while the visit is real; email-only NPS days later skews positive and shrinks your sample.
- After the star rating, never instead of it. Guests answer the easy question first; the 0-10 follows naturally.
- Enough volume before you trust it. Under 30-50 responses, treat the score as directional - one guest swings a small sample by several points.
How to improve your NPS
The maths says it plainly: one recovered detractor moves your score twice as fast as one new promoter (a detractor becoming a promoter swings both percentages).
- Recover detractors while they're still there. A 0-6 answer should alert the manager on shift immediately - an apology and a fix at the table converts the exact guests dragging the score down. This is what smart routing automates.
- Fix the repeat themes. Detractor comments cluster - noise, waits, cold food. One named fix a week, tracked against the score.
- Let promoters advocate. A 9-10 is the perfect moment to invite a Google review - it doesn't move NPS, but it turns the loyalty NPS measures into visible bookings.
FAQ
What does NPS stand for?
Net Promoter Score - a loyalty metric introduced by Fred Reichheld in 2003, based on the single question "How likely are you to recommend us?" scored 0-10.
What is a good NPS score?
Above 0 means more promoters than detractors. For hospitality: +30 is good, +50 is strong, +70 is exceptional. Track your own trend month on month rather than chasing published averages, which vary by segment and method.
Why are 7 and 8 not counted in NPS?
Sevens and eights are passives - satisfied but unenthusiastic. They dilute the score by adding to the total without joining either side, which is deliberate: NPS is designed to separate genuine advocates from polite approval.
How often should a restaurant or hotel measure NPS?
Continuously - as an optional question on your always-on feedback survey - and reviewed monthly. Quarterly email blasts produce small, biased samples; point-of-experience collection produces a steady, honest stream.
Is NPS better than CSAT?
Neither is better; they answer different questions. CSAT (star rating) measures the visit and catches operational problems fast. NPS measures the relationship and trends loyalty. The strongest setup uses CSAT as the required question and NPS as an optional closer.
Track NPS without the spreadsheet
Sentoma collects the recommend question on every survey, scores NPS live per venue, and alerts your team the moment a detractor needs recovering - free to start on one venue.